Storyteller and Artist in Life

I am dabbling in smoking cigarettes. Having never smoked in my prior 49 years up to present, it has created a multitude of ripples in my life.

A story … of course.

Something was triggered in me upon seeing this 10 minute documentary about the Nakupeople of South America. At 2:25 minutes you will see a brown liquid being poured into an open palm. We then see the owner of the hand proceed to snort the dark liquid into their nostril. From my own experience, I knew it to be a solution derived from soaking tobacco leaves. I never knew the details about how long the leaves were stewed or of which liquid was in the stew. My memory of my own blissful experience in August 2012 doing the same was brought to the forefront. A very gentle reaction that for me was followed by lying in a hammock by a fire and watching both the stars in the sky and numerous bats flitting about under the traditional Achuar Shelter – a thatched roof supported by simple poles. I ended up being the last in my group left by the fire. I enjoyed it so much, I had strongly considered spending the entire night out there … in the jungle. By 3:30am, numerous hours after the others settled, I tucked into my cosy bed in the hut nearby in the ecovillage in Ecuador where my tour group was staying.

I learned that South American tribes consider 3 plants sacred:
Tobacco, Ayahuasca (a combination of two plants to my understanding) and Dartura (a potent psychoactive plant reserved for extreme cases). The first two play a role in routine life.

Then the cravings started. I took notice. They returned nearly daily for a couple of weeks until I decided to follow up my inspiration. My goal was to find out how to obtain the tobacco for snorting as I did in South America. I had planned to obtain some at the time but got distracted. Thought I would check out the local specialty smoke shop. Did not seem likely but why not inquire?
No, no tobacco leaves available via that route.

My old Family Doctor self kicked in while in front of the counter. I started into discussion of the various products. Reviewed quit smoking strategies with the owner of the shop. My two interests were: organic tobacco only cigarettes (100% free of additives and chemicals) & Vapes.
Long story short, I purchased 2 packs of the organic Canadian cigarettes, a vape and some vape liquid containing zero Nicotine. Peach yogurt flavor. Fun! I trialed it prior to making my decision.
I was given a brief demonstration of how to vape and service my device.
Thought it would be fun to experiment with the vape with my kids.
I actually knew very little about them but felt it was a cool idea that might help smokers to quit.

As is routine, I questioned all assumptions relating to smoking cigarettes and vaping. I was surprised by some of the answers I received.

I have been compared to Tigger. This is how I am viewed by some these days.

I wondered if smoking the natural cigarettes, no additives, were increasing risk to my health? No.
Is this true for everyone? No.
I interject here that you are unlikely to find a study looking into the health effects of a healthy adult smoking 2-4 cigarettes per day. I know many are strongly connected to the Medical Research Engine. It cannot answer all questions. Strange that many people in my life have the knee-jerk reaction that my choice is “unhealthy”. What do they really know about it? So many assumptions are made relating to research findings. Not by me.
Would the regular cigarettes increase risk? (I ask myself this) Yes, the answer.
To my knowledge there is only one Canadian product meeting my specifications: CNT (Canadian Natural Tobacco).
In America: American Spirit.
So many products competing. All containing additives and chemicals.
I wonder if it would serve our population to not allow the sale of the products that have gained such a bad rap? Then again. Live and let live.
Here in Canada the taxation could be much less on the natural brand to bring its price below the standard product. Presently it sits more expensively on the shelf. My rudimentary research found that many smokers would prefer it but allow the higher price point to deter them.

Many questions led me to the concept that there is a tipping point of personal energetic vibration after which pure tobacco would pose no health risk.
The level that I determined was 500.
I include a picture to demonstrate the Scale of Consciousness I refer to. Taken from the book Power Versus Force by David R. Hawkins.
I have come to hypothesize that the healthcare for those under 500 is significantly different than for those over 500. This is extremely relevant … for those who vibrate over 500. The entire traditional healthcare model becomes irrelevant as one’s consciousness rises.I am currently writing a book to describe my perspective. I believe in Live and Let Live. My health perspective is a viable alternative for those rising in their consciousness. Yet easily attacked by those who choose, usually a subconscious choice, to live at a lower vibratory rate. It would be next to impossible for them to understand … until they choose to open their mind and consider the possibility that they control their reality much more than they have been led to believe. So when things are so real to them. They are right, considering the perspective that they hold. It is not about right and wrong but two versions of right. When someone’s mindset is set to duality, it is difficult for them to accept that two versions of right, seemingly opposite to each other, can co-exist. Yet, for those who can accept this, it is easy because we all started out with the duality mindset. So we understand fully. By design, someone in duality is unable to understand or accept this alternative that I offer.
I have no intention of defending or convincing. Simply an offer of another way to view the world. I honor and respect the free will of each individual. AND expect my own free will to be honored in turn.

Therein lies the challenge. So many people are confronted by seeing another make a choice that they would not make. There is a simplicity when everything can be viewed as either black or white. In my perspective there are infinite shades of grey. Pick the one that suits you best. Let each one of us do the same. Embrace the diversity. Optimal to not impinge another’s free will choices.
Let me list common reactions I have observed:
Label another in some way (differently than how they would label themselves). The “Us and Them” phenomenon.
Judge another as either wrong, substandard, weak, sick, broken etc.
Attempt to sway the individual to their own way of thinking – shame, blame, dictate, educate, warn etc.
Resent the other – in the example of smoking – cost the health system money, their money.
Reject – cannot associate with another who makes a choice that is not validated by the person.

So dabbling in smoking has given me a clearer view into all this than I had prior.
It has felt like a gift going through this experience as a smoker. One to two cigarettes a day turned to three to four. Occasionally a little more.
Big decision for me: do I want to smoke? Yes … for now. I find I enjoy it. It grounds me. For those who read my stories, this is a very important function. Are there other ways to ground? Yes. I do those also. Cigarettes are handy and accessible at all times for me. I was truly surprised to feel my fullest version of myself seemingly clunk into place within my body. Made me wonder if I had lived with my spirit just a little askew for some time now. That may sound impossible, however, considering the multidimensional anatomy that I believe each human is comprised of, makes perfect sense. As I so often write: Experience is the Best Teacher.
Every experience shows us more and more where we need to question assumptions. Just because someone taught us something, does not make it the highest order truth for us in each moment. The truth is relative. My sense is that many of us are evolving through this lifetime so that much of our prior knowledge was relative to the time it was first discovered but does not remain relevant now. Some truths are generations old. In prior generations, very few people embodied the higher energetic vibrations that we are seeing now. Little hint: Many of our children are so when they make suggestions and recommendations, give them a good listen.

Through this exploration, I have come to see that vaping challenges the older generation. Is it harmful to one’s health? My zero nicotine blends? No. I have Pina Colada, Green Apple and Apple Cinnamon in addition to the original Peach Yogurt. I tested Peanut Butter and Jam but could not go there myself. My supplier? My daughter’s boyfriend! She was pleasantly shocked to see that I had bought a vape. Then the truth came out that he produced a line of vape liquids. So it ended up bonding me to both my daughter and her boyfriend.
Some big clouds get ripped at my house. My 16 year old son instantly showed me this vid,Vape Nation, when he first saw my vape.

Now, there are times we are all fighting over it to take our turn.I would not have expected the many benefits I received upon exploring my inspiration in this case. One trip to the Smoke Shop has delivered a “crap-ton” (son’s word) of insights and experience.

I recently put 5000 km on a roadtrip to California. One of my favorite parts was stopping frequently at rest stops. California outdoes itself in this department. I got to experience the sensation of being scrutinized in a different way, as a smoker. Certainly California (and Oregon) are not known for their population smoking. I was in a visible minority. Certainly, I fully respected others. Many are sensitive to smoke so I was careful to separate from nonsmokers. I always disposed of my butts properly. Smokers: please be courteous with your butts. I have oft repeated, “The World is not your ashtray”. Be a responsible smoker. I have always been a slight trash collector. Now I feel extra incentive to pick up butts. Although I have done for over a decade. There was a time that I was pretty crazy about picking up trash. It was very distracting to me and I had to always walk with a plastic bag.

On this roadtrip, I picked up a hitchhiker. A first. It had been on my bucket list. I passed by about five prior to landing on this lovely mid 20’s Australian-origin lass. I was slow to make the decision so when I pulled over, I backed up to show her my intention. Well what a delightful experience it was! She recounted that her prior experience had shaken her confidence and had been praying for a female driver. Viola!
She mirrored my old garbage-picking self. Every place we stopped was left cleaner by her presence. She rekindled that in me. Nice.
Backstory to aid in explaining just why this felt so magical.
While on my roadtrip, I felt like a switch got flipped. Roaming the Oregon Coast was over, time to beeline home. What? No big hurry, I will arrive home 3-4 days early at this rate. The original tour was left open but up to 16 days. Could not really understand why I was so inspired to head home all of a sudden. I had pre-determined that I will make a circular route. Landing on coming up through the Okanagon. I crossed the International Border at Osoyoos. Blustery would be an understatement. Started just as I was talking to the Border Officer. Wind, heavy rain. I took my first turn upon entering Canada. Found a room. Expensive. Decided to carry on all the way to Penticton. The Super 8 Motel there was awesome! My room had a lovely rose garden. I could hardly pull myself away to go to bed. Rain was off and on but I had an outdoor sheltered seat. I was thoroughly tickled. Especially comparing the small dingy quarters, $50 more lakeside (across the street) in Osoyoos.

The next day I was inspired by Mara Lake. Spent 2 hours having lunch and writing the outline for a book! This definitely does not happen to me every day. It rolled off. Twenty Two Chapters. The bone I have been chewing on for 20 years. Then stopped at two rest stops, Canadian equivalent. One was an old growth Hemlock forest … pristine. Walked the short boardwalk twice. Caught in crawling traffic in Kelowna in my first driving leg. So a strange, meandering style to this day.
Only to roll up when my Australian lass needed me. Felt quite divinely timed as I look back on it.

Going into business with the Crystal Bowls, received a couple of calls. One was from a massage therapist in May, shortly destined to work in Lake Louise. We talked on the phone for 90 minutes and vowed to meet. I thought I would go and get a massage from her in Lake Louise. So I had contemplated arranging ahead, knowing I would drive past Lake Louise on this trip. I left it. “Let me see how it goes.”

Shortly into the drive, my hitchhiker proclaims she works in Lake Louise as a Massage Therapist. Really? I ask her if she knows my acquaintance. Yes, her closest friend in Lake Louise. You don’t say?
Well, I met this acquaintance in person … and enjoyed a sleepover! We talked until 5am. Got up at 9am to receive a massage from my lovely Hitchhiker.

It can feel quite convenient to throw your fears and judgments around.
However, I caution you. We are all different. We are all capable of making our own decisions. It is far more harmonious to be curious when you see someone making their decisions differently to yourself.

Seek first to understand. Then be understood. One of the seven habits from Stephen Covey’s famous book.

You are likely to discover that when you remove fear and judgment, life gets a whole lot more fun. Daring comes in many shades of grey. What we really want is to develop discernment. No two snowflakes are alike. Human beings, the same. Celebrate diversity.
My sense: many people live in awfully small boxes. Then they get very insulted when others do not choose a box a small as theirs. I encourage you to think about it from this perspective. At least for a moment…
Good questions for yourself: Am I living in a small box?
Could I enlarge my box … just a little?
A higher version of yourself will thank you.

Moral of the Story: Empower the Individual and a lot of the rulebooks will need to be re-written.
Systemic disempowerment is sooo last millenium.
Self-Actualization is all the rage now.

August 16, 2016
A strange text came through for my friend while we were together at Home Depot. He and his son were renovating/building new segments/painting my fence. The Carpenter son was on site at my home while we were picking up the last few items to complete the job. He heard the house alarm ringing and the sound of firetruck sirens was getting closer and closer. My phone was on a little walk with my son (Pokemon Go) when I left so I was without. Texted myself, presuming my 16 year old son had my phone. Yes, it was a false alarm. My basement smoke detector is wired through to the alarm system. My puppies, I have two, inspired that little decision years ago. Well it turns out, older technology smoke alarms cannot detect the difference between vapor and smoke. Not unlike many people. When mama is away, nobody else is aware of all the codes, protocol etc. to deal with a false alarm. All 3 kids were home.
A few times, we had to fan the main floor smoke detector, occasionally removing the battery for a time due to big vapor clouds finding their way and triggering an alarm. Smoke detectors are extremely sensitive. Now I am reminded that one of my smoke detectors communicates to the Fire Department!

I was a bit disappointed that two fire trucks full of firemen came to my house and I was not even home…
Surreal experience.